"A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the Hand of God, for without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment," or, "enjoy pleasure?" (Ecclesiastes 2:24, 25--NIV)
There is no doubt that God created man to experience, "enjoyment," and, "pleasure." After His Creative Acts, the Lord God concluded, "that it was very good." The Word here for, "good," can also be translated, "pleasure."!
Do you enjoy your, "own toil," your work, your marriage, your family, your church, your nation, etc.? I know, maybe I have expanded the text beyond the Lord's intent, but I'm really not so sure. Everything which God created, including man, had the approval, "....that it was very pleasurable." Man's rebellion ruined all of that. Now, the latter part of our text rings as a condemnation of man's rebellion, "....without Him, who can eat or find pleasure?" Eve looked away from the Blessed Trinity to the tree and, "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it." The pleasure which she and Adam sought turned to a bitter taste.
"....Find satisfaction...." Since I believe these are, "God-Breathed," Words and not just thoughts of some, "preacher," or king of Israel, there is something here of a blessing. Genesis 3 tells us, "Cursed is the ground because of you....It will produce thorns and thistles for you....By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food...." What occurred to me today is that the curse of Genesis 3 was to affect the opposite of our text. But there is good news for all who surrender their lives to Jesus Christ: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, by becoming a curse for us." I believe that now, in a life surrendered to Jesus Christ, that curse is broken. We should expect in Jesus to, "....find satisfaction in...toil/labor," even if there is some, "sweat."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for the "enjoyment," the, "pleasure," of walking in You and serving You. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
